MIDDLE EAST

The United Arab Emirates announced that it  will invest $35 billion in clean energy by 2021 as it seeks to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels following crude’s global price slide. Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei said “By 2021, our investments in nuclear and solar projects will reach $35 billion ” He added that the UAE’s four nuclear reactors currently under …

Nabil al-Arabi , chief of Arab League condemned the Israeli “racist and aggressive” practices towards the Palestinians and urged the international community and  United Nations and to intervene. He said “The international community and the United Nations must take up their responsibilities in countering the aggressive and racist Israeli practices towards the Palestinian people,”. He added “The continuing escalation of …

The head of UNESCO warned that Archeological sites in Syria are being looted “on an industrial scale,” with proceeds being used to fund Islamic State extremist. Irina Bokova the Director-General of UNESCO said, “Satellite imagery shows that archeological sites in Syria are dotted by thousands of illegal excavations… that show there is looting on an industrial scale,” “Limiting the trafficking in …

In  Tehran, court has fined two women $260 for violating the Islamic dress code by not wearing hijabs properly in the street, a judicial official said. He added , “In recent days several cases have been filed in the court for bad hijabs and, in two of them, the accused were sentenced to pay 9 million rials ($260) in cash. …

The U.N. food agency said it has ceased assistance to 229,000 Syrian refugees in Jordan because of a lack of funds, but will continue to provide for 211,000 others. World Food Program spokeswoman Dina El-Kassaby said “Due to a lack of funds we had to suspend from the first of September assistance to 229,000 Syrians who live in Jordan, outside …

The Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris has offered to buy an island off Greece or Italy and develop it to help hundreds of thousands of people fleeing from Syria and other conflicts. The telecoms tycoon first announced the initiative on Twitter. He wrote “Greece or Italy sell me an island, I’ll call its independence and host the migrants and provide jobs …

Five publishing houses owned by Muslim Brotherhood leaders have been confiscated by The committee tasked with managing Muslim Brotherhood funds, according to Aswat Masreya website . The committee said in a statement , that The publishing houses are now under the management of the ministry of culture and are operating normally. The confiscated  publishing houses  are Dar El-Fath Arabic Media, Arab …

In Israel and east Jerusalem Christian schools have threatened to stay closed for Tuesday’s start of the new academic year because of a financing dispute with the government. The director of schools overseen by the Custody of the Holy Land, Abdel Massih Fahim, said  that the shutdown  was planned to demand equal treatment with other schools in Israel.  He added …

  In  Irbid, Jordan , Social media users  called for measures against a student after he  spat at a faculty member at Jadara University  during a graduation ceremony, while he was queuing to receive his certificate Later after the incident the university said that it will file a lawsuit against the student . Saleh Aqeeli, president of Jadara University, said  “We …

  On Tuesday, An official of the Palestinian Islamist movement (Hamas) has been detained at Cairo airport when  he tried to enter Egypt  coming from Saudi Arabia . An airport source said , that Hassan alSaifi, whose name figures on an Egyptian watch list, was detained on arrival , he was still at the airport and would likely be deported. …